The Washington critic., 1887-12-20
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
The Professional Visitor in the Society
of Washington,
MRS. WHITNEY'S INVENTION.
Renewed Interest In Mr.. Riddle
bcrger--From Printers Case
to Congress.

Yrs. Whitney, the wife of the Secre-
tary, says writer in the World, is a
woman with brains. When she went
over to Washington she found herself
In great need of something, and as it
didn't exist already, she promptly in
vented one Of the greatest labor-saving
devices in existence, and She hasn't
taken out any patent on it either. She
calls this invention "the professional
visitor" The heaviest duty falling upon
woman in society anywhere, but more
particularly in Washington, is that of
making calls. Every one in certain
neighborhood has different day for
receiving, and time can well be
economized, by making uptown calls
one day, west or east side another.
OF the people who have Tuesdays, for
example, one will live in Fifth avenue,
on the corner of Eighty-ninth street, and
the other in Washington Square. Things
are even worse in Washington. A wife
of one of the Ministers has on her own
day an average Of 900 callers. They
live at the four points of the compass,
and when the day is done there is a
mountain Of pasteboard in the caHl-re-
ceivor in the hall which no tired host
ess has any time to look over and bal
ance with her visiting book But the
young woman vho is hired for this pur-
pose arrives just about the time the last
caller departs and carries of the PASTE
boards and the visiting book. When
she returns next day the latter is care
fully balanced, all new names and adj
dresses neatly inscribed, and on two or
thres type-written sheets are grouped
the names of all the people who live
near each other or have similar days for
being at home, and with this list in her
carriage the Cabinet lady can
economize tremendously both in
time and labor in returning all her
who is generally pleasant, presentable
persona lady in reduced circumstances
undertakes the work of going and
strewing these pastcboards about town
when her employer is too tired or busy
to make her own calls; but when she
can, Mrs. Whitney endeavors to do this
work herself. She invented it when
driven by pressure of social duties in
Washington, but many of the New York
women have taken it up to find it an
infinite relief. These young women
keep themselves carefully informed on
all social matters, and are of the great
est assistance in making out lists and
directing cards when there is to be
marriage, dance or big tea or recep-
ton in the house of her employer. Her
services can be extended indefinitely,
and the longer one has a professional
visitor the more uses she can be put to,
for, as Mrs. Whitney says, "What's the
use of worrying yourself sick over the
details OF social pleasures when you can
Just as we'll make some one else attend
to them for you?" And the professional
visitor Is the answer to the question.
~
Says New York correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press: Some mems lives
would read like romances If the facts Of
them could be told. One of the after
noon trains on the Pennsylvania took
from this city to Washington the other
day the editor of an afternoon paper.
He went to the National Capital to rep
resent in Congress the biggest district in
the biggest city in the country. Yet
twenty-five years ago he literally walked
into town looking for job. He was
printer then. Now an entire news
paper establishment marched to the
station to start him right off on his po-
litical career, and he goes into Congress
as the brightest, If not the ablest, jour
nalist in the city. How much of the
twenty years ago after he had finished
his days work on the religious weekly
on which he was employed? 1t was not
until after he had ran the presses, sci
type, and made-up the forms on the
Tribune in Horace Greeley's days thai
hc got his first opportunity to write {
line for newspaper. Another leading
journalist of to-day set type on the pa
per of which he is now the magazin,
editor. That was exactly twenty year,
ago. There is probably no better exec
utiye manager in q newspaper Office
than he is, but only hard work and gri
developed his faculty or brought him hi
opportunities. For ten years he seldom
missed putting in fourteen hours u day
at the Office, and seven days u week
too. Add to that the time he spent a
home in reading, ard You will find tina
life was not a bed OF roses for him.
~.
II is rather interesting, says the Ney
York SUMS Washington correspondent
to observe with what solicitudo the Re
publican Senators watch after the intei
csts Of Mr.. Riddleberger. Last sessio
hcwas an Ishmaelite. He always 50
alone. He wandered down to the lunc
DOM and took seat at solitary tabl
every day. The other Senators woul
lake look at him and go by. If h
had asked them to tako bite with hir
hey, in all probability, would hay
recollccted other engagements. Riddle
berger says publicly that the only one {
the Republicans who had ever invite
him to enter the door of his home Wa
Senator Palmer of Michigan. But no
the atmosphere has changed. You new,
sec the Senator from Virginia alon,
Some Republican is always chatting wit
him. He has received invitations
dine at their houses. Some of the
have introduced him to their wives, a
though he has been in Washington foi
wears without presentation. He hasn
lunched alone since the session opene
but always has one or two companion
Don Cameron has even invited him
Join the poker party that meets at IL
mansion Of the Senator from Pennsy
vania on rainy days. heidelberg
seems to enjoy it, and the Senators, no
that they are getting acquainted wi
him, say he's an uncommonlv good ft
low. So much for the power Of attra
tion in politics.
w.
"Do you know how Solicitor-Gener
jerks got his start in life?" asked
Pennsylvania from Mr.. jerks old Je
fcrson County district. "It was as !
ho,rar in q stnnn oillnrru WlnI ln ~.